2018年CRI Scientists use massive river model to fight erosion

 

US Scientists working on new ways to battle the erosion that threatens Louisiana's coastline have a dramatic new tool: a massive replica¹ of the lower Mississippi River.

The multi-million US dollar model, complete with flowing water, aims to isolate² the best areas to divert nutrient-rich river water and sediment³ into rapidly-eroding marshes⁴.

CRI's Yu Yang has the story.

Lake Hermitage in Louisiana is a popular destination for residents and wildlife alike.

But the fragile coastline around the old fishing village is under threat from decades of erosion while also facing rising seas from climate change.

Saltwater intrusion from the Gulf⁵ of Mexico has killed off almost all the trees in areas that were thriving decades ago.

Lifelong Louisiana resident Clay Boudreaux says he has watched the land surrounding the Lake Hermitage area where he grew up slowly disappear.

"And now here we are, fifty, sixty years later, and there's not a live oak tree back here. For five miles off the highway away from the river, that used to be fed by the river, now nothing. Nothing's alive other than the trees that we've planted in our yards."

Louisiana is estimated to have lost about 5,200 square kilometres of coastline since the 1930s.

But help may soon be on the way.

Scientists working to battle the erosion have a dramatic new tool - a massive replica of the lower Mississippi River.

The Louisiana State University's Center (LSU) for River Studies is home to the newly opened Lower Mississippi River Physical Model, a 10,000-square-foot reproduction of nearly 200 miles of the lower Mississippi.

The model will help experts study the river and how sediment can be used from it to fight coastal⁶ erosion.

LSU Professor Clint Willson heads the Center for River Studies.

"Not only can we model the flows and the river stages or the water levels in the Mississippi River, we can also model or simulate the transport or the movement of the Mississippi River sand down the river. And we can do all of that in roughly one hour to replicate⁷ one year on the river."

The model is made of high density⁸ foam⁹ panels strong enough for people to walk on.

Data about the dimensions and shape of the Mississippi River and surrounding topography were put into a computer and then used to cut the panels.

Rudy Simoneaux from the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority says the new model is already attracting worldwide attention.

"We've had folks from China. We've had folks from Bangladesh, who have a major river flooding problem in their nation, and they're looking at ways to living and working with the river."

Louisiana has developed a plan that relies in part on slicing channels or diversions at various locations into the levees that keep the Mississippi River in its course.

Officials are hopeful that lessons learned at the new center can be shared with other countries and regions struggling with similar problems.

1 replica   

n.复制品

参考例句：

• The original conservatory has been rebuilt in replica.温室已按原样重建。
• The young artist made a replica of the famous painting.这位年轻的画家临摹了这幅著名的作品。

2 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

3 sediment   

n.沉淀，沉渣，沉积(物)

参考例句：

• The sediment settled and the water was clear.杂质沉淀后，水变清了。
• Sediment begins to choke the channel's opening.沉积物开始淤塞河道口。

4 marshes   

n.沼泽，湿地( marsh的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cows were grazing on the marshes. 牛群在湿地上吃草。
• We had to cross the marshes. 我们不得不穿过那片沼泽地。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 gulf   

n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂

参考例句：

• The gulf between the two leaders cannot be bridged.两位领导人之间的鸿沟难以跨越。
• There is a gulf between the two cities.这两座城市间有个海湾。

6 coastal   

adj.海岸的，沿海的，沿岸的

参考例句：

• The ocean waves are slowly eating away the coastal rocks.大海的波浪慢慢地侵蚀着岸边的岩石。
• This country will fortify the coastal areas.该国将加强沿海地区的防御。

7 replicate   

v.折叠，复制，模写；n.同样的样品；adj.转折的

参考例句：

• The DNA of chromatin must replicate before cell division.染色质DNA在细胞分裂之前必须复制。
• It is also easy to replicate,as the next subsection explains.就像下一个小节详细说明的那样，它还可以被轻易的复制。

8 density   

n.密集，密度，浓度

参考例句：

• The population density of that country is 685 per square mile.那个国家的人口密度为每平方英里685人。
• The region has a very high population density.该地区的人口密度很高。

9 foam   

v./n.泡沫，起泡沫

参考例句：

• The glass of beer was mostly foam.这杯啤酒大部分是泡沫。
• The surface of the water is full of foam.水面都是泡沫。